Some of us Zoology residents are natural leaders, quick to greet our admirers and always ready for action. I am the clear choice to lead the Sheep/Goat Yard! I am not sure why the bipeds don’t just rename our yard Chicken’s Kingdom, I think I’ll put that idea in the suggestion box.
You wouldn’t know from my tough beginnings that I would rise to such heights. I had a scary few days early in my life when I found myself running down a busy HIGHWAY near Denver. Nobody knows how I got there but luckily, I was rescued and taken to a local animal shelter. Not long after that, I got even more lucky when I was taken to Zoology. The bipeds immediately started falling all over themselves to take care of me! One of their favorite things (and mine too), was to bottle feed me. Five times a day, they would bring me that warm, comforting bottle. I also needed some veterinary care to heal an infection in my ear but that wasn’t a big deal for me. After I finally grew big enough and was gobbling hay like a big kid, I was ready to join the others in Sheep/Goat Yard!
I just love my yard! There are a lot of things to do like climb on the logs, scratch on a giant brush and, most importantly, there is an endless supply of delicious hay! My yard mates include six sheep and two other goats! In the summer months, our giant yard opens up into a shady grass pasture where we can graze and nap. There are three different sheds to sleep. My most favorite is the biggest one of course! I have heard through the grapevine that there are plans to create new structures for us to climb and play on next summer. Yep, that idea was another of my suggestion box submissions. Whatever they create, I hope it is something I can use to watch over my domain and yard mates. As a good leader should!
Every week, the bipeds come and clean all the sheds and I always supervise that activity. You would not believe how easily the bipeds are distracted from this important work by me and my friends – how can they be so needy??? Even I need space from all that hugging and kissing after a while! Fortunately, after the sheds and the yard are all spic and span, the bipeds do their best work when they “enrich” us with puzzle treats, branches with leaves on them (us goats are browsers by trade), home-made popsicles in the summer, and warm molasses water in the winter. They can be very creative.
The one thing that nobody in our yard likes very much is feet trimming. Which happens four times a year. Now, I am a good boy and patiently volunteer as an educational subject when a new biped wants to learn how to take care of our feet. You should see how freaked out the sheep are when they realize that feet trimming day has rolled around again! Lucky for us, the bipeds know just how important taking care of our feet is and they aren’t fazed by the sheep and their antics. They do their best to make it as stress free as possible!
Public tours are another favorite activity for me and Sid, one of my sheep yard mates. I just quietly snuggle up to my public and they are in love! I have even been requested specifically for our Zoology Behind The Scenes Experience! I happily let the visiting bipeds put a halter on me and take a stroll down the lane together. I love teaching new bipeds the joys of goats and what perfect family members we can be!
For being such a strong leadership figure day after day, I am rewarded each morning and afternoon with my favorite treat-peanuts! The other sheep and goats get them too, but I know they’re really a reward for me. As a good leader, I don’t mind sharing.
